The Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday destroyed the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in the most lopsided Game 1 win in NBA playoff history, as reigning champions the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors opened the post-season with victories.
The Celtics, fueled by 30 points from Derrick White, defeated the Orlando Magic 103-86.
The Cavaliers, who beat out the Celtics for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, downed the Miami Heat 121-100 and the Warriors, with 31 points from Stephen Curry, fended off a late Houston surge to beat the Rockets 95-85.
Photo: Adams-Imagn Images / USA Today
Oklahoma City, who emerged as the top seeds in the Western Conference with the best overall record in the league, seized a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series in emphatic style.
The Thunder’s 51-point margin of victory was even more remarkable given that Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had his statistically worst performance of the season — managing just 15 points, five assists and three rebounds.
However, all of Oklahoma City’s starters scored in double figures, with Jalen Williams providing 20 points along with six assists and Aaron Wiggins contributing 21 points off the bench.
Photo: AP
The win was the fifth-largest ever in NBA playoff history — just seven points shy of the record — and also a franchise record.
“We played to our identity,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Nothing more, nothing less than that... and it’s going to be the key to our success, just staying true to who we are.”
Grizzlies star Ja Morant finished with 17 points and vowed Memphis — who battled through the play-in tournament — would bounce back.
“We’ll never play that bad again,” Morant said.
Things were more tense in the day’s other Western Conference battle in Houston, where the Rockets sliced a 23-point deficit to three midway through the fourth quarter before the Warriors pulled away again to win.
Curry shook off a slow start to connect on 12 of 19 shots from the floor, including five three-pointers. Jimmy Butler added 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals for the Warriors.
“Stayed in it,” Butler said. “Gave up a little run, but in the end we won.”
It was the 100th career playoff coaching victory for Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who moved into a tie with Larry Brown for sixth-most playoff wins.
“I’m lucky to coach the guys that I do,” Kerr said. “Players win games. It’s our job to try to help them along a little bit here and there.”
In Boston, star forward Jayson Tatum scored a modest 17 points and finished the game despite a frightening fall under the basket in the fourth quarter that left him nursing a sore right wrist.
Tatum rose for a dunk and crashed to the court after he was hit by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — who was assessed a flagrant foul upon review. The Celtics faithful at TD Garden were delighted to see Tatum make his first three-pointer of the night soon after, and Tatum said after the game his wrist was fine.
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Ty Jerome added 16 of his 28 in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers finally put away the determined Heat.
Additional reporting by AP
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